Talks - The role of the sannyasin in world stabilization.

The role of the sannyasin in world stabilization.

The role of the sannyasin in world stabilization.

Satguru Bodhinatha Veylanswami
, 2007-03-27

The monastery's internal approach to improving the world by achieving and sustaining spiritual consciousness. Readings from Saiva Dharma Shastras and Saivite Shastras. Monastics compensate for world unrest and keep the Vedic religion alive sustaining sanity on the planet during the Kali Yuga. Thousands around the world draw on the aadheenam for spiritual stability.
[note there were some equipment issues during recording so the audio quality is a bit low on this talk.]

Unedited Transcript:

Continuing with some continuity from last phase. Last phase we were talking about improving the world. Making the world a more peaceful place, less violence and talked in particular about spreading the idea of raising children with a prejudice free consciousness. Less prejudice means less hate, less hate means less violence. Idea was that can't change the world overnight, but we can change the world over many generations. With each generation have a chance to program a new generation in a new way. Subconscious mind is programable. So, put the right beliefs in to a new generation, do it again and again and over a period of a few generations, that's how you can change the world and make it more [...inaudible??]

And for the monks our role in this process is mainly one of propagating this through our teachings, through publications, lectures and personal discussions. So that's what we were talking about last phase.

So this approach of improving the world of course is one that involves outer action, an external approach. So I thought, turn the coin over, look at the other side of the coin. So on the other side of the coin to an external approach of course would be an internal approach, right? So having here is focusing on how those in the monastery can improve the world without any other actions by thinking about achieving and sustaining our spiritual consciousness. So fortunately our computers these days have a great search capability. All I have to do is kind of remember a phrase and type it in and define what Gurudeva said on it. So, this first one see if I can find the phrase, I'll remember I'll remember, towards the end. So the phrase I was looking up was.

"The monastic communities of worldwide of all religions that sustain sanity on this planet, at this time in the Kali Yuga. The monasteries are helping the planet remain sane."

So that's the end. So the quotes a little long. It talks Sannyasa. Thought that'd be nice to read too. So this is "Saiva Dharma Shastras," Chapter Twelve.
"At times, the renunciate's sadhana is austere, as he burns layer after layer of dross through severe tapas. He wears the saffron robe, studies the ancient ways and scriptures. He chants the sacred mantras. He reflects constantly on the Absolute. He lives from moment to moment, day to day. He is always available, present, open. He has neither likes nor dislikes, but clear perceptions.

"Having stepped out of his ego shell, the sannyasin is a free soul. Nothing binds him. Nothing claims him. Nothing involves him. Without exclusive territory, without limiting relationships, he is free to be himself totally. If he has problems within himself, he keeps them silently within and works them out there. If he speaks, it is only to say what is true, kind, helpful or necessary. He never argues, debates, complains. His words and his life always affirm, never negate. He finds points of agreement, forsaking contention and difference. No man is his enemy. No man is his friend. All men are his teachers. Some teach him what to do; others teach him what not to do. He has no one to rely upon except God, Gods, guru and the power within his own spine. He is strong, yet gentle. He is aloof, yet present. He is enlightened, yet ordinary. He speaks wisely of the Vedic scriptures and ancient shastras and lives them in his own example. Yet, he consciously remains inconspicuous, transparent.

"He is a man on the path of enlightenment who has arrived at a certain subsuperconscious, intuitive state and wishes to stay there. Therefore, he automatically has released various interactions with the world, physically and emotionally, and remains poised in a contemplative, monastic lifestyle. The basic thought behind the philosophy of being a sannyasin is to put oneself in a hot-house condition of self-imposed discipline, where unfoldment of the spirit can be catalyzed at a greater intensity than in family life, where the exterior concerns and overt responsibilities of the world predominate.

"The sannyasin is the homeless one who remains detached from all forms of involvement--friends, family, personal ambition--finding security in his own being rather than attaching himself to outward manifestations of security, warmth and companionship. He is alone, but never lonely. He lives as though on the eve of his departure, often abiding no more than three nights in the same place. He may be a pilgrim, a wandering sadhu. He may be a monastic contemplative living in a cloistered monastery or semi-cloistered ashrama.

"In preparation for sannyasa, the aspirant leaves behind family, former friends and old acquaintances and steps out into a new pattern of subsuperconscious living. He strives to be all spine-power, all light. When we see him trying, although he may not be too successful at it if he is going through some inner turmoil or challenge, we know he is striving, and that is an inspiration to us. His very existence is his mission in life. He has dedicated himself to live a life of total commitment to the path of yoga, and by doing so he sustains the spiritual vibration for the householders. It is the renunciate who keeps the Vedic religions alive on the Earth. He keeps the philosophy vibrant and lucid, presenting it dynamically to the householders."

Now it gets to the point on which [...inaudible??]

"Monks of every Hindu order are guided and guarded by unseen beings who look after their lives as if they were their own. Families are blessed who share in and support the renunciation of their sons born through them to perform a greater dharma than the grihastha life could ever offer. It is the monastic communities worldwide, of all religions, that sustain sanity on this planet. It is the monks living up to their vows who sustain the vibration of law and order in the communities and nations of the world. This is how the devonic world sees each monastic community worldwide. This is how it is and should always be."

[...inaudible??] Gurudeva.

"This is how it is, This is how it is and should always be. This is how humanity balances out its experiential karmas and avoids destroying itself as it passes through the darkness of the Kali Yuga. The monastic communities that surround the planet, fulfilling their dharma, compensate for the adharma that is so prevalent, thus ensuring that humanity does not self-destruct in these trying times. We must, for the sake of clarity, state here that monastic communities are either strictly male or strictly female. Coed mixed-group ashramas are not monastic communities, but classed traditionally as communes.

[...inaudible??]

Well that's the first one, that's an interesting quote you know how the [...sharing which??] humanity does not focus on [...inaudible??] time to time so shows the importance of monastic, of monasteries of all religions [...inaudible??.] Monasteries of all religions help in this way and keep the consciousness lifted up during this time.

So that's the "Saiva Dharma Shastras." Next we have the "Saivite Shastras." Couple of quotes here.

"The world being in a state of flux, due to the continuing adjustment because of the slight overlapping of the vibrations of the Kali Yuga into the Sat Siva Yuga, causes the general unrest through every living thing."

Very interesting quote. Read that again.

"The world being in a state of flux, due to the continuing adjustment because of the slight overlapping of the vibrations of the Kali Yuga into the Sat Siva Yuga, causes the general unrest through every living thing. The monastics of the Saiva Siddhanta Yoga Order must compensate for this unrest by personal conduct. Hence, rules and general direction of conduct and care of personal property will be clearly outlined in the first part of these shastras."

This is the first verse of the shastra, [...inaudible??] in the spirit of it.

"We shall now take a close look at the Saiva Siddhanta Yoga Order in the year 1995, and in doing so we will begin to see the course we are on."

So the idea there is: when were they written the shastras? 73! So it gave us twenty-two years to figure it all out. Get it right. [...inaudible??] So they looked twenty-two years in the future and said, "OK" after you fumbled along and figured it out for twenty-two years this is how things will become. This happens to be twelve year cycle back. One twelve year cycle [...inaudible??]

"Each mathavasi, served together transparently in wisdom. Each one was treated as an individual soul, and a sense of sameness pervaded through all of the Saivite monasteries. There was a great feeling of 'There is nothing happening here.' The darshan was strong and fulfilled its purpose. The families began to send their sons to the monastery well trained, as well as assume their position in training young men of other families. Their daughters were kept virgins until marriage, as were their sons, and a new Saivite culture began to bloom surrounding each monastery, as the darshan more and more fulfilled its purpose of stabilizing the intensity of Saivism in the minds of the families and surrounding community. Even other religions, such as Buddhism, began to flourish in the darshan radiations from the Saivite monasteries."

That's how I found the quote, looked up Buddhism. The only use of the word Buddhism in the whole "Saivite Shastras."

"Even other religions, such as Buddhism, began to flourish in the darshan radiations from the Saivite monasteries. A great harmony was felt by all, under and guided under the systematic dissemination of encouragement and discipline through the guru's secretary and two helpers and the senior group of each monastery."

That's an important principle in the shastras, dissemination of encouragement and discipline. In other words there's a tendency for the communications in the monastery and in the family too they're always using correction [...inaudible??] You talk to your children when they need to be corrected. You send notes to monks when they need to be corrected. You know when they're not doing something you want them to do it. But that's the added discipline but you're supposed to balance that out by dissemination of encouragement or praise and there's no need for praise but that's because they're doing well. So we praise when things are going well and we discipline when behavior needs to be changed and that's the balance. [...inaudible??] encouraging.

"Saivism coming into the Sat Siva Yuga began to flourish in an overpowering, quiet, joyous and a happy way. Its force worked from inside out. It did not move the emotion. It was seen to move the life force of man. Early in the Order's history, the darshan came strong and almost disappeared at times. But later, as each individual adjusted himself to the shastric flow, the darshan became constant, strong and steady. Only when the physical plane permeates orderliness and does not precipitate confusion can the darshan flow in this extreme continuity. Therefore, in the next chapter it will be clearly outlined the way these Saivite monastics lived within their monasteries.

A comment from me:

So the idea we can see from the Saivite Shastras quote is a well functioning Saivite monastery stabilizes Saivism in the minds of the families. [...inaudible??] So, this isn't limited to those who physically live near the monastery. If everyone lived near the monastery was in this way we'd have the whole street would be converted by now. [...inaudible??] a physical proximity. What we're talking about is a mental proximity. You know the mind is attuned to the monastery. The mind thinks about the monastery draws on the monastery. Those who think about it often and draw or pull on it for spiritual strength. That's who is stabilized by the monastery.

The monastery helps them be strong in facing difficult challenges in their life as well as helps them be more stable in consciousness and therefore more consistent in their daily sadhanas. Those who draw on Kauai Aadheenam in this way I would say number in the thousands. Literally thousands of people around the world draw on the aadheenam for spiritual strength. Lot of it worlds through the internet you know they become talk with people all over the world you meet them and first time you've met them and they say: "Every morning first thing when I get up I go to TAKA." You know. Say oh that's wonderful. You know that's how they keep mentally attuned. They see it on the web and stay attuned. So we have thousands of people around the world in that way depending on the monastery to provide them with stability. Spiritual stability. So one more quote and I found this one by the word mirror. The word mirror in the "Saivite Shastra." Well this gives the whole spirit of it. The idea is you know to, well let me read it then I'll explain.

"The mere existence of a Saivite guru is enough to fulfill his mission on the Earth, as is the mere existence of the Saiva Siddhanta Yoga Order enough to fulfill the purpose of the Order. Anything done outside of the emanation of darshan, that is of the nature of grace. "

[...inaudible??] So as I say this is the other side of the coin from last phase. Last phase we were looking how we can improve the world through our external actions. Specifically how we can help reduce prejudice in the world. The more we can help reduce prejudice, violence will go down as a result. [...inaudible??] So that's the external action. This is just the internal spiritual vibration. So as it says: "The mere existence is enough." So it shows that it's very important just having a monastery with a strong spiritual vibration is an important way to influence the world. You know it's not invisible. You know you can see it. Unless you talk to people and start to realize how much they depend upon the monastery to hold a certain vibration. So that's the idea.